SHAGS AND EELS

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 85, 10 April 1935, Page 10

SHAGS AND EELS

IS DESTRUCTION JUSTIFIED?

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—The report of the destruction of 400 eels and of the cleaning out of a shaggery on the Hutt River, resulting in the death of sixteen shags, was recently commended by' the committee of the Wellington Anglers' Club. Not so, however, by many of the public, whose feeling has been that of revulsion. Regarding the eels, it should be noted that these were placed in New. Zealand rivers Jong before the Anglers' Club and introduced trout were .taken into. account, and it appears to be their misfortune that they interfere somewhat with the activities of our anglers. ■ :

The destruction of the shags cannot be justified on any grounds. It ■is bad enough to read of the inhuman slaughter of godwits and ducks, but it is "over the. edge" that shags should be shot out merely because the anglers are not sporting enough to share their sport with the birds. Fortunately, but not yet effectively, there is a growing body of public opinion which is opposed to the shooting of our native birds. Needless to say, it is obvious that all native birds were brought into being for the good of mankind as part of a general scheme of Nature and the upsetting of the balance will not be tolerated by people who have kindly feelings towards the birds. ' ; ■•■ . ■...';;■

In all probability,' the anglers are doing themselves more harm than good, and the following extract from Dr. W. R. B. Oliver's "New Zealand Birds" may give them "cause to think:—

"Relation to Man. European.—Vilified, condemned, outlawed, and with a price on its head the black shag stands as the declared enemy of mankind, > In the popular yiew it is a gormandiser that devours unlimited quantities of fish which, if left alone, would grow up and afford sport and food for man. The black shag's chief crime is that it has transgressed the law that any animal that comes into competition for food with man has no right to live; a crime that is held to deserve nothing less than indiscriminate persecution. Perhaps the worst feature of this is that this wholesale destruction is extended to all species of shags although • all but three are harmless marine species. Admittedly the black shag takes a large number of fish, including trout and perhaps other useful kinds. It has yet to be shown, however, that any real damage is done to trout streams. Guthrie Smith's experience is that the presence of shags in considerable numbers is no bar to the stocking of suitable waters with trout. Actually the black shag is in several ways beneficial. It thins out overstocked streams and lakes and it destroys the enemies of trout. Chief amongst these is the eel, of which the shag takes large numbers. Now eels are far more serious enemies to trout than are shags. They are far better able to feed on them and on their eggs and on the fish that the trout feeds on. Altogether then the black shag is not an unmitigated evil. It does a great deal of good in destroying eels and surplus fish,fforr r which work it takes its reward in young trout. A case is on record where, in a locality in the Auckland Province, a colony of shags was destroyed because the birds were reported to be eating trout. The result, however, was that the fish also disappeared because of the increase of Crustacea and other enemies which the shags kept in check."—l am, etc " ~''..■ TAWHAI.

Mr. A. Scholcfield, who is not seeking re-election to the Petone and Lower Hutt Gas Lighting Board, said farewell to the members of the board last evening. He'thanked the members of the board, the chairman, and the staff; for their courtesy and consideration. The members spoke in appreciation of Mr. Scholefield's services.